Süße Ink( Sweet Ink )

Appeared:

Curator’s Comment:

John Heartfield’s Weimar Republic graphic design appeared on page 107 of the hugely successfully Kurt Tucholsky – John Heartfield collaboration Deutschland, Deutschland, über alles (Germany, Germany, Above Everything). The title was prophetic. Out-of-control German nationalism fueled by the harsh conditions impose on the country by the Treaty Of Versailles were key factors in the rise of Adolf Hitler and The Third Reich.

Published in 1929 by Neuer Deutscher Verlag, Tucholsky’s picture-survey was a devastating critique of Weimar Republic society.

Consider the perspectives and angles Heartfield manages to execute in this famous collage art. His roots in German Dada art gave him the ability to combine mixed media into seamless montages. Because of his success as a book jacket designer for the publishing house he owned with his brother, Wieland Herzfelde, Heartfield was offered high-paying positions at some of Germany’s largest advertising agencies. He turned all these offers down. He wouldn’t not allow restrictions on his art.

Donald Trump’s “Sweet Ink”

The montage and its caption might be seen as somewhat sexist at first glance. Heartfield inserts a woman’s leg into an ink bottle to make “sweet ink.” However, the opposite is true. Heartfield is commenting that “sexy news” distracts the public from important political and social issues.

Consider the amount of news coverage of Donald Trump’s comments about his behavior around women. Also, his alleged treatment of female business associates. His words and actions seemed to make Trump a less than ideal choice for president of the United States. However, those news reports also helped to minimize his comments on race and his associations with white nationalist hate groups. It allowed his supporters to forget that he had no governing experience. They glossed over the fact Trump was totally unqualified to be president.

Trump won the popular vote of white women even though his words and his actions towards women would have revealed any other candidate to be unfit to serve. Women who voted for Trump focused more on his claim that he would be the most powerful force against terrorism. White women voters seemed willing to overlook his misogynist behavior because of “sweet ink.”